A man who tragically stabbed a Kensington Palace gardener to death before calling police from a phone box to hand himself in has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 27 years. Elyas Moussa, 30, received the sentence at the Old Bailey on Wednesday following his conviction for murder after a two-week trial.
His victim, Recorda Davey-Ann Clarke, was a 35-year-old father of two who had secured his prestigious gardening role after beating 500 other applicants. The incident occurred on Linacre Road, Willesden Green, north-west London, while he was out celebrating his girlfriend’s birthday just after Christmas last year on December 28. Moussa had been drinking brandy at bar in Willesden Green for three hours and then spent another two hours sharing a bottle with friends.
He had the kitchen knife thrust down his trousers and was wearing a pair of pyjamas to stop him cutting himself with the blade.
The argument began when Mr Clarke touched his hat and Moussa was to tell the court he was « angry » because he « did not have permission. »
Bottles were thrown during the brawl and then Moussa went back to the home he shared with his mother,
nearby.
He claimed he had lost his keys and went out again but CCTV showed him searching for the victim. He went back to Linacre Road to find Mr Clarke and stabbed him in the chest.
The court heard, « That knife passed into his body, damaged the left side of his heart, causing an injury that proved fatal. »
The judge told Moussa: « Instead of leaving and returning home you walked into Linacre Road intent on confronting Ricardo Clarke and attacked him with your knife. He was plainly running away from you, probably because you had taken out your knife. »
« You seized the opportunity to use the knife and deliver at least two strikes at him. »
In a victim impact statement, Mr Clarke’s sister Alton Blissett told how proud the family was when he got the coveted job at Kensington Palace and he would always identify flowers to his nephews and nieces.
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